Telescopes shouldn't get rained on

squeaky

Hi all,

While out doing some astro-imaging with my telescope last week I got caught in a sudden downpour. I quickly put a cover over the telescope and, once it had stopped raining, mopped everything dry.

Unfortunately it turned out that the cover over the electrics for one of the motor drives has got holes in it and water had run in and done for the electrics so that my telescope now runs round like the Magic Roundabout.

The supplier has stated unequivocally that rain damage will NOT be covered under guarantee...

..my take on this is that for a piece of equipment which has electronic controls and is used out of doors, it should have at least some protection against water ingress?

This telescope not only has no such protection anywhere - it has HOLES in the cover!

It is less than six months old, so I'm aware that under SOGA the onus would be on them to prove that there is (not) an inherent fault - but is it unreasonable of me to expect that a few seconds in an admittedly heavy rain shower before I got a cover on it should not leave me with fried electrics?

If it can't cope with this can I claim that it is not fit for purpose?

bitemebankers

Does it say in the instructions that the telescope isn't waterproof?

wimblewomble_2

really feel for you, being a fellow amateur astronomer.

I know that you would not put the gear out in rain, and a sudden downpour is clearly something that couldnt have been anticipated.

do you belong to a local astronomy club that might advise?
there might be someone who has experienced something similar, or even how to fix the electronics, if they're salvageable.

good luck. hope it gets sorted.

squeaky

bitemebankers wrote: »

Does it say in the instructions that the telescope isn't waterproof?

Not in my handbook, no.

If it turns out that I should only use the telescope when there is no possibility of showers, or no dew fall, then I'll be limited to about one day per year.

I've had it since April but only had ten viewing nights as it is. All with dew fall and half of them with a "chance" of showers. This one arrived with no warning from behind me. I was looking at a clear sky taking a photograph. No pre spotting, it was straight into the heavy stuff. I slapped my laptop closed and put it under the table I use, then legged it a whole seven metres to my car, got the cover and fitted it over the telescope and the mounting - right down to ground level. So, say, between 20 and 30 seconds in the rain. About five minutes later I was able to remove the rain cover and mop up.

bod1467

bitemebankers wrote: »

Does it say in the instructions that the telescope isn't waterproof?

I'll see your question and raise you a "Does it say in the instructions that the telescope IS waterproof?" (This is the more-pertinent question).

If it doesn't (which Squeaky has already implied) then there's not much chance of a positive outcome, other than a goodwill gesture.

squeaky

wimblewomble wrote: »

really feel for you, being a fellow amateur astronomer.

I know that you would not put the gear out in rain, and a sudden downpour is clearly something that couldnt have been anticipated.

do you belong to a local astronomy club that might advise?
there might be someone who has experienced something similar, or even how to fix the electronics, if they're salvageable.

good luck. hope it gets sorted.

I'm an apprentice trained electrical engineer (ex Royal Navy) so I'm happy enough to diagnose and change components etc. The argument is that they say rain damage is my fault, and I'm saying that given the way it's built there's absolutely no protection at all and that this is unreasonable in our climate for an item that is used outdoors.

shaun_from_Africa

I would have thought that for safety reasons alone, it should be assumed that any device that uses electricity shouldn't be used in wet or damp conditions unless that item was specifically made for use in those conditions and that this was stated in the manuals.

Many people buy and use telescopes indoors, and maybe that's what the one in question was designed for.

squeaky

bod1467 wrote: »

I'll see your question and raise you a "Does it say in the instructions that the telescope IS waterproof?" (This is the more-pertinent question).

If it doesn't (which Squeaky has already implied) then there's not much chance of a positive outcome, other than a goodwill gesture.

Nope, doesn't say it is.

But it still begs the question... for an item of equipment with electronic controls that is meant to be used out of doors (in fact can ONLY be sensibly used outdoors) - holes in the covers over the electrics?

Looksguywalker

Have you dried it out thoroughly?

bod1467

I agree with your sentiment. But the supplier (as this is who your contract is with) can only go by what is stated within the product description and associated literature. Unless it states it is waterproof (or even splashproof) then you're likely only going to get a goodwill gesture.

E.g. they may agree to repair and only charge for parts or labour, not both.

squeaky

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

I would have thought that for safety reasons alone, it should be assumed that any device that uses electricity shouldn't be used in wet or damp conditions unless that item was specifically made for use in those conditions and that this was stated in the manuals.

Many people buy and use telescopes indoors, and maybe that's what the one in question was designed for.

Erm... it's all 12v DC - i.e. low voltage.

People might use telescopes indoors to spy on a neighbouring tower block but I can assure you that no serious astronomer would ever expect good results from using a telescope indoors. Honest. I'm talking about getting photographs of things more than a thousand times fainter than the very faintest stars you could possibly see on a perfectly clear night miles away from a city and light pollution. Trying that from indoors? No chance

For the astronomers among the readers my scope's limiting magnitude is 14 and even here next to a major city my camera on 30 second exposures comfortably grabs below mag 16.